Let’s be honest. If you’re playing an open-world game set in the Sengoku period, you aren't trying to spend forty hours just jogging through rice paddies. You want a horse. Specifically, you want a horse that feels like it belongs in 16th-century Japan, not some generic asset flipped from a previous RPG. Assassin’s Creed Shadows mounts are more than just a speed boost this time around; they are a fundamental part of how Ubisoft Quebec is trying to ground the dual-protagonist experience of Naoe and Yasuke.
The scale of this map is roughly comparable to Assassin’s Creed Origins. That’s big. It’s "my legs are going to fall off if I don't find a stable" big.
The Reality of Horses in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
When you look at the historical context Ubisoft is aiming for, the horses aren't the towering stallions you might see in a European setting. In the late 1500s, Japanese horses were generally smaller, sturdier breeds like the Kiso. While the game takes some creative liberties for the sake of "cool," the animation team has leaned into a weightier feel.
You’ll notice a massive difference depending on who is in the saddle. Yasuke is a literal giant in this world. When he’s on one of the Assassin’s Creed Shadows mounts, the horse looks strained, powerful, and functional. It’s a tool of war. For Naoe, the horse is a means of infiltration or a quick exit.
The physics have been tweaked since Valhalla. Remember how Eivor’s horse would sometimes float over rocks or feel like a sliding puck on a flat surface? Shadows is trying to fix that with better terrain deformation and weight distribution. If you’re galloping through a muddy path in the Iga Province after a heavy rainstorm, you’re going to see the hooves sinking. It isn't just a visual flourish; it actually affects your turn radius and acceleration.
Customization and Stable Management
You’re going to be spending a lot of time at stables. This isn't just a "buy it and forget it" system. Stables in major hubs like Kyoto or the coastal villages serve as the primary way to swap out your gear.
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- Saddles and Tack: You can customize the look, but some gear actually offers minor buffs to stamina recovery.
- Coat Variations: Expect the usual suspects—bays, blacks, chestnuts, and maybe a few rarer "legendary" coats found through specific side quests or high-tier vendors.
- Equipment: Yasuke can actually use some of his weight to his advantage, with certain mount-related skills allowing for more aggressive trampling during combat.
One thing that’s kinda interesting is the "Call Mount" mechanic. It’s still there, obviously, because nobody wants to walk three miles because they forgot where they parked. But the whistle system is more localized now. If you’re deep inside a heavily guarded fort, your horse isn't just going to magically teleport into the inner sanctum. You’ve got to get to an open area first.
Why Your Choice of Mount Matters for Stealth
Most people assume the horse is just for Yasuke because he’s the "loud" character. That’s a mistake. Naoe uses Assassin’s Creed Shadows mounts for high-speed parkour transitions. There are specific moments where you can leap from a galloping horse directly onto a beam or a thatched roof. It’s smooth. It feels less like Red Dead Redemption and more like a tactical tool in a ninja’s arsenal.
The horses also react to the environment in ways we haven't seen in the series before. If you’re riding through a dense forest and an enemy patrol spots you, the horse might get spooked by incoming arrows or the flash of a smoke bomb. Managing your mount’s "panic" level is a subtle mechanic that keeps you from just brainlessly charging through every encounter.
The Weather Factor
We have to talk about the seasons. This is the big "gimmick" (I mean that in a good way) of Shadows. The seasons change the map entirely.
In spring, the paths are clear, and your mount can hit top speeds easily. In winter? Forget about it. Deep snow slows your horse to a crawl in certain regions. You might find yourself ditching the horse entirely to stay on the rooftops where the snow is thinner or sticking to the main roads that have been cleared by NPCs. This dynamic makes the Assassin’s Creed Shadows mounts feel like a part of the living world rather than a static vehicle.
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If you’re riding through a frozen lake area, the ice might hold the weight of Naoe, but will it hold Yasuke and a fully armored horse? These are the kinds of environmental puzzles Ubisoft is baking into the traversal.
Fact-Checking the "Mount Combat" Rumors
There has been some chatter about fully mounted combat systems. To be clear: this isn't Mount & Blade.
Yasuke has access to some powerful sweeping strikes from horseback using his kanabo or katana. It’s meant for thinning out a crowd of low-level ashigaru soldiers. Naoe, on the other hand, is much more limited. She can throw kunai or use her hidden blade for a "leap from horse" assassination, but she isn't meant to sit there and trade blows with a samurai while mounted.
If you try to stay on your horse while surrounded, the AI is smart enough to pull you down. In previous games, you could basically cheese your way through a fight by circling enemies on a horse. In Shadows, enemies will use polearms—specifically yari—to de-mount you very quickly.
How to Get the Best Mounts Early
You don't want to be stuck with the "starter" horse for twenty hours.
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- Check the outskirts of Kyoto: The high-end breeders hang out near the capital. You'll need a decent amount of Mon (the local currency) to even look at their stock.
- Complete the "Way of the Warrior" side arcs: Specifically, those related to Yasuke's military connections often reward you with specialized warhorses that have higher "bravery" stats, meaning they won't buck you off the moment a firework goes off.
- Explore the Iga mountains: Naoe’s territory has smaller, nimbler horses that handle steep inclines much better than the heavy beasts found in the plains.
Honestly, the best way to handle your stable is to have a "heavy" for Yasuke’s combat-heavy missions and a "scout" for Naoe’s exploration.
Final Insights on Traversal Strategy
The move to the Anvil engine's latest iteration has allowed for better foliage interaction. When you’re riding through tall grass, it doesn't just clip through the horse; it parts. It sounds small, but when you're playing in 4K, that immersion matters.
Don't ignore the bond system either. While it’s not as deep as a Tamagotchi, the more you use a specific mount, the more responsive it becomes to your whistles and commands in high-stress situations.
Next Steps for Players:
- Focus on the Stable Master quests early in the central provinces to unlock the "Heavy Gallop" skill for Yasuke.
- Always scout the terrain before a mounted escape; a seasonal change can turn a shortcut into a dead end if the river has flooded or frozen over.
- Invest in "Quiet Tack" for Naoe to reduce the noise radius of your horse when approaching restricted areas.
Mastering the Assassin’s Creed Shadows mounts is essentially about understanding that the horse is an extension of your character’s kit, not just a way to get from Point A to Point B. Keep an eye on the weather, respect the historical scale of the breeds, and don't expect a horse to do a ninja's job in the deep snow.